PRAYER IS THE KEY

Commentary: 1Chronicles4-6. The listing of the genealogy continued. In chapter6, we have the allotment of common lands to the Levites. A remarkable character in these chapters is Jabez;

1 Chronicles 4:9 “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”

The background or foundation of Jabez was not too good. He was born in parental distress and pain, cursed by the mother through the name she gave him. I guess his mother went through the curse on Eve;

Genesis 3:16 “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

As Jabez grew up, many things went wrong in his life and these things could be read from his prayers to God; he lived under a curse, he was limited on every side, the enemy was always prevailing in his life, anywhere he went he was the target of evil and he was always a pain to those around him. He grew up to know his life bore bad fruit which he was not guilty of, neither was he the cause. No one could have helped him but God because it was a parental curse working in his life. He turned to that God in prayer and God proved His faithfulness. What can prayer not change? With all that was in his life, the Bible still recorded that he was more honorable than any of his brethren; this was so because he did something unusual to change his life and that was prayer.

You don’t have a choice as to which family, race or community you want to be born. You don’t even have a choice as to what name to be given to you, but you have a choice to make a change to your life. If one embraces the ignorance of one’s parents, the outcome of the person’s life is not going to be admirable and the sorrow of such becomes multiplied at the long run. Unfortunately, many are bound to family woes, curses and covenants through family names, traditions, beliefs and other strongholds. In any condition you find yourself, prayer does a great deal in it. Even if you are in your destiny, prayer adds more beauty beyond what you could ever think of. Jesus was in His destiny yet He prayed all His life. The power of prayer is immense and it adds splendor to life beyond bargain, Eph3:20.

Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”

Here is what Joseph M. Scriven (1855) in Ireland has to say in hymns while his mother was seriously sick;

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

If Jabez changed his life from what his parents gave and dictated to him through prayers, you have no excuse, and complaints are irrelevant. You can’t change your spiritual problem by worrying, crying, complaining, blaming others, logics or scheming but by praying;

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

The length of days you spent praying do not matter but the efficacy (praying in faith and not in fear) of your prayers; faith is the backbone of any effectual prayer.

James 5:16 “… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Build your faith by reading the word of God regularly. Prayers made using the word of God works more wonders than we think. On the other hand, any prayer made without the basis of God’s word is just noise. You need to carry the word of God in prayer.

Let us seek for the old path where we could find rest. Let us listen to the trumpet’s sound, wherewith we could escape the calamity to come. Our reading for today is 1C hronicles7-9. Keep the fire burning and alive. PRAYER IS THE KEY.